Google Reveals 40% Use Google Maps On Mobile

The South by South West conference saw Google's vice president of consumer services giving a keynote on the company's mapping and location based services.

Google's Marissa Mayer gave a keynote speech on the growth of Google Maps for Mobile, and which people are using the service on the day to day basis.

Google Maps for Mobile, which has grown to 150 million users, is used by almost 40 per cent of all Google Maps users. Mayer said that there have been days when Google Maps mobile usage has been more than the desktop usage.

The company has incorporated desktop functionalities like Google Street View and turn-by-turn directions to Google Maps for Mobile, making it a primary source for people looking for instant directions while on road.

The Route Around feature presents users with the three shortest routes to a particular destination. The feature has now been updated with the ability to provide the fastest routes based on real-time traffic data, for free. This particular function has been offered by other GPS navigation systems for some time, though at a price.

Another market Google is aggressively chasing is that of location based services, which allow users to discover new locations by 'checking in' or sharing their location with users. Google's Hotspot allows users to search for local businesses or places based on the information shared by their friends or by searching the web via Google.